# Need Humidor Advice



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

The humidor topic is frequently discussed but after searching for a couple hours I thought that I would just ask for help for my situation. Being very new to the hobby, the number of the brands and products is overwhelming. Prices are all over the place and quality is all over the place as well. I am looking for a decent middle of the road humidor to fit 40 to 50 cigars. I don't need the Cadillac of Humidors, just something practical that well perform OK and won't cost me an arm and a leg. My number one goal in trying to find one is get something that's a really good value. Any ideas of what I should get and where to purchase it? thanks in advance. Sorry if the question had already been asked. Mods, please remove if I posted in the wrong section


----------



## Fusion (Apr 5, 2017)

Ah a familiar name from another forum (not a cigar forum), you could try the cooler route to start with some tupadores inside. That way you have not wasted anything if you give up the cigars.
Maby your looking for a nice piece of woodwork and a real Humidor, cant help with that one.


----------



## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

What sucks is more than not there's 2 kinds of humidors..

Cadillacs and Pintos...

It's hard to find a middle ground that is leak proof and efficient.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


----------



## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Bigjohn said:


> I don't need the Cadillac of Humidors, just something practical that well perform OK and won't cost me an arm and a leg.


Practical = tupperdor

One of the best set-ups in tupperdors, using a Sistema 7L tupper, two Spanish cedar trays, and a Boveda pack or two, is known around here as a "Hawkidor"; after @*hawk45* the member who pioneered it. In addition to other storage, I've got 6 of these now. They are pretty much foolproof...

http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...9643-storage-without-humidor.html#post3744363

BTW, all the components are available on Amazon... and I did not have to cut down the trays as hawk did. All All of mine fit perfectly.


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

Fusion said:


> Ah a familiar name from another forum (not a cigar forum), you could try the cooler route to start with some tupadores inside. That way you have not wasted anything if you give up the cigars.
> Maby your looking for a nice piece of woodwork and a real Humidor, cant help with that one.


good advise! Thanks fusion


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

curmudgeonista said:


> Bigjohn said:
> 
> 
> > I don't need the Cadillac of Humidors, just something practical that well perform OK and won't cost me an arm and a leg.
> ...


This might be the perfect solution. Are the Bovada packs reliable enough to get by without a hygrometer or do you buy a separate hygrometer for each one? Are they good for long term storage?


----------



## Fusion (Apr 5, 2017)

Hydrometers are cheap, Amazon or Ebay will get you sorted, i have a full size ref converted (mine is for curing meats but same parameters required) and have a meter on every level in it plus a Humidifier and a dehumidifier.


----------



## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Bigjohn said:


> This might be the perfect solution. Are the Bovada packs reliable enough to get by without a hygrometer or do you buy a separate hygrometer for each one? Are they good for long term storage?


Bovedas are pretty darn reliable, especially in airtight tuppers. But, you should still have a hygrometer, if nothing else just for reassurance... and so you can talk about fun stuff here instead of spending your Puff time freaking out worrying whether your cigars are okay. :grin2:


----------



## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

curmudgeonista said:


> Practical = tupperdor
> 
> One of the best set-ups in tupperdors, using a Sistema 7L tupper, two Spanish cedar trays, and a Boveda pack or two, is known around here as a "Hawkidor"; after @*hawk45* the member who pioneered it. In addition to other storage, I've got 6 of these now. They are pretty much foolproof...
> 
> ...


X's 2

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


----------



## Del Fuego (Mar 29, 2017)

curmudgeonista said:


> Practical = tupperdor
> 
> One of the best set-ups in tupperdors, using a Sistema 7L tupper, two Spanish cedar trays, and a Boveda pack or two, is known around here as a "Hawkidor"


What a coincidence! That's the exact tupperdor I'm building right now. I found the 7 litre Sistema at The Container Store for only $11.99. The expensive part was the cedar trays. The best solid, Spanish cedar trays I could find were $14.99 + shipping.

And I thought I was so clever....

I do plan to season the trays however with Boveda 84% and then keep it regulated with 65ers.

The best advice I can give:

1. Build a tupperdor with some Spanish Cedar in it (Trays or pieces of wood).
2. Buy a digital hygrometer that can be calibrated
3. Buy a hygrometer calibration kit
4. Learn everything you can about seasoning a humidor and all the opinions that come along with it.
5. Invest in some humidification beads or a similar product
6. Ditch the florist foam humidifier 
7. Ditch the analog hygrometer


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

curmudgeonista said:


> Bigjohn said:
> 
> 
> > This might be the perfect solution. Are the Bovada packs reliable enough to get by without a hygrometer or do you buy a separate hygrometer for each one? Are they good for long term storage?
> ...


 as I look at hygrometers on eBay, I see digital ones for as low as $1 each shipping from china to $50. Are the really cheap China ones reliable enough? If not, what's the cheapest one you can get that will do the trick?


----------



## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Sorry, I do not get it when people talk about "building a tupperdor". What's to build? :noidea:

Just chuck your cigars in with a couple of Bovedas. Done! No building! :doh:

If you want to use cedar trays in your tupperdor you simply open the top, drop in the trays, and close the lid. Voila! Still no building involved... unless you bought the wrong size trays and had to go borrow your Dad's hammer. :smash:

The rest is just getting the RH stable, which is remarkably easy with Bovedas in an airtight box. :banana:


----------



## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Bigjohn said:


> as I look at hygrometers on eBay, I see digital ones for as low as $1 each shipping from china to $50. Are the really cheap China ones reliable enough? If not, what's the cheapest one you can get that will do the trick?


I'm the wrong guy to ask. Most cheap hygrometers take up too much room. I use Western Caliber IV's in my tuppers. Accurate, reliable, and they don't take up much space, but cost $25 apiece.

A broken clock may be right twice a day. But a hygrometer that doesn't tell you the correct RH is completely worthless, no matter what it cost.


----------



## NightFish (Jan 27, 2017)

I run a few Hawkidors for general storage and a Savoy 100 count desktop for "on deck" smokes. The tupperware stays stashed in the closet and is as easy and foolproof as it gets. The Savoy is a nice looking box to have out on display and great for easy access. It's only been a few months but I am very happy with this set up so far. I put a few extra bodevas in the Savoy and haven't had any problems holding RH whatsoever.


----------



## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

I love accurite from Wal-Mart..But I have the space.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


----------



## triplezero24 (Apr 11, 2017)

curmudgeonista said:


> Sorry, I do not get it when people talk about "building a tupperdor". What's to build? :noidea:
> 
> Just chuck your cigars in with a couple of Bovedas. Done! No building! :doh:
> 
> ...


Semantics. :wink2:

I agree with most that a tupperdor is a good route. Easy to keep a stable RH, cheap, and effective. I would recommend taking a couple of old spanish cedar boxes, breaking them down, and throwing the pieces in there for that great "humidor" smell.


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

triplezero24 said:


> curmudgeonista said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry, I do not get it when people talk about "building a tupperdor". What's to build?
> ...


 will breaking down an empty cigar box and using its pieces work as well?


----------



## triplezero24 (Apr 11, 2017)

Bigjohn said:


> will breaking down an empty cigar box and using its pieces work as well?


Yeah, that's what I meant. Sorry. Just buy an old box from a B&M and break it down. Oliva boxes seem to have pretty thick walls and are relatively easy to get apart. Of course you could use a saw to make it look nice, but I went Incredible Hulk on mine and just busted it into pieces by stomping on it. :vs_laugh:


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

triplezero24 said:


> Yeah, that's what I meant. Sorry. Just buy an old box from a B&M and break it down. Oliva boxes seem to have pretty thick walls and are relatively easy to get apart. Of course you could use a saw to make it look nice, but I went Incredible Hulk on mine and just busted it into pieces by stomping on it. :vs_laugh:


 That's what I wanted to do but I wonder if whatever they use to stain in the box on the outside to make it pretty can have a negative affect on cigars


----------



## triplezero24 (Apr 11, 2017)

Bigjohn said:


> That's what I wanted to do but I wonder if whatever they use to stain in the box on the outside to make it pretty can have a negative affect on cigars


If it did, why would they put it on cigar boxes to begin with? :wink2:


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

triplezero24 said:


> If it did, why would they put it on cigar boxes to begin with? :wink2:


 Touché. Didn't really think of it this way. Some boxes have several layers of wood though and it's all raw wood inside the box but the outside layer is painted/stained


----------



## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Bigjohn said:


> Touché. Didn't really think of it this way. Some boxes have several layers of wood though and it's all raw wood inside the box but the outside layer is painted/stained


I understand what you mean. Try just using the separators if that makes you feel more comfortable..they'll have tons of em. They give off the smell you're looking for, they can also be cut up to use as spills.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk


----------



## scott1256ca (Jan 4, 2017)

I bought 5 of these for < $1.5 each off of aliexpress. They work fine. The doofis shipped them loose in the boxes and the batteries were inserted and running, and it took nearly 3 mo. to get here (Canada Customs hold packages from Asia FOREVER). So at least I know the batteries should last that long.
On a 75% salt test they ran from 74% to 78% and on a 33% salt test they ran 34%-36%, so they are pretty accurate. They can't be adjusted, but I don't care much. They are labelled and I know which is which. 
If you buy something cheap like this, don't bother with a calibration kit. Unless you like farting around I think they are a waste of money. Especially if you embark on tupperdor, get a new 65% boveda pack calibrate using that. They are +/- 2% which is good enough. I'm told you should use a new one. 
If you were to take the hygrometers out of the humidor and let them adjust and put them back they may not read more accurately than 2% anyway, and again, that is good enough.
If you want a better hygro, by all means, but if you want to check several tupperdors, then these might be a good way to go. Buy a couple of extras. Put two in each tupperdor. One close to the top, one close to the bottom, see if there is a difference you might have to deal with.


----------



## Bigjohn (Apr 6, 2017)

thank you for this review, this is exactly the ones I was looking at eBay. Can buy seven of them for under 10 bucks


----------



## KSRCigar (Mar 21, 2017)

There's a new product/technology on the horizon. It's a foolproof solution to the common humidor dilemma. It's plug it in and forget about it. Add water every 2 to 3 months. Will maintain the exact same humidity in every square inch of the container and will only fluctuate when the room temperature has significant fluctuation (but will only fluctuate about 2% with a temp change of about 5 degrees).


----------



## JimOD (Jan 19, 2017)

KSRCigar said:


> There's a new product/technology on the horizon. It's a foolproof solution to the common humidor dilemma. It's plug it in and forget about it. Add water every 2 to 3 months. Will maintain the exact same humidity in every square inch of the container and will only fluctuate when the room temperature has significant fluctuation (but will only fluctuate about 2% with a temp change of about 5 degrees).


Is this a teaser for the next segment?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Fusion (Apr 5, 2017)

JimOD said:


> Is this a teaser for the next segment?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


Sales pitch is next im guessing


----------

